


Rebuilding

by obfonteri (aspiringenjolras)



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Guardians of the Galaxy - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Family, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Yondu is the major character death don't worry, You could read this as kraglin/yondu, but it isn't explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-12 11:48:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11161242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aspiringenjolras/pseuds/obfonteri
Summary: In the weeks after Yondu's funeral, Kraglin looks ahead to what's next. The road to recovery isn't easy, and rebuilding his life isn't going to be as easy as it seems. Takes place after the events of Vol. 2.





	Rebuilding

**Author's Note:**

> This fic can be read as a standalone, or as a side-by-side companion to my other fic, "[Five Stages](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11204586)"! Enjoy!

The “spare cabin” was actually a large storage closet that Peter cleared out, but Kraglin was grateful the Guardians were giving him a place to sleep at all. Actually, he was relieved Peter wasn’t kicking him off the ship entirely-- despite the fact that it was built from the remaining core structure of the  _ Eclector _ . He really wouldn’t have blamed Peter if he did. He felt responsible for so much of what happened to Yondu, and everything else... well. It had just been a lot to take in. Kraglin wasn’t sure he’d even fully processed it. Everything was blurring together. Days into weeks... how long had it been?

Too long.

Kraglin didn’t like thinking about how much time he’d spent without Yondu. He’d lived half his life without the Ravager captain, but for the last 20-odd years, he’d always been at Yondu’s side. He had been so young when he joined the Ravagers, he barely remembered what life was like before Yondu. Now he was learning all over again. Ravagers aren’t supposed to be soft. But codependence wasn’t uncommon at all, at least not for him and the cap’n. Yondu had always insisted that there wasn’t anything wrong with relying heavily on someone else, and Kraglin had believed him. Now he knew why that sort of thing was usually discouraged.

One day, in the late afternoon, in the heat of the sun from some planet, Peter pulled Kraglin aside. It had been maybe three or four weeks since Yondu’s funeral. Kraglin looked at the Terran, and then at Rocket who had just walked in with something in his paws, hidden under a cloth. Peter smiled.

“You have the arrow, Kraglin?” Kraglin did. He couldn’t fly it, couldn’t do anything without a fin. But he still carried it with him at all times. Not for sentiment. For honor. He pulled it out from his jacket and held it carefully. Rocket pulled the cloth off with a flourish. In his paws was a fin. Nearly identical to the one Yondu had been wearing when he died. Kraglin could only stare.

“Well jeez, say  _ something _ , even if it’s just  _ gee, thanks Rocket, for building me a fully functioning replica of Yondu’s fin. I really appreciate it _ .”

“I... I don’t...” Kraglin was still at a loss for words. He met Rocket’s eyes and they shared a look of understanding. Finally, Rocket broke the gaze and nodded.

“I’ll let Quill explain the rest,” he mumbled, and scurried out. Kraglin could’ve swore he saw the raccoon wipe a tear from his face as he rounded the corner. Then his attention was back on Quill.

“Pete--”

“I figured Yondu would want you to be able to use the arrow. He wouldn’t want it to go to waste. Fixing the arrow was Rocket’s idea, but building you a fin was mine.” Kraglin swallowed, hard, as he took the fin gingerly and turned it over in his hands.”Rocket said he thinks he can find a way to permanently attach it, if that’s something you want. For now, it just sits and balances on the curve of your head. I’ll leave that between the two of you to figure out.”

“Thanks, Cap’n.” That was the second time Kraglin had called him that. He wondered if Yondu would feel betrayed. The thought almost brought a harsh laugh to his throat. Wouldn’t have been the first time he let him down. Still, he tried to push the thought from his head.

“Oh, also...” Peter scratched the side of his neck in thought, and Kraglin watched the way he tilted his head slightly, the way his brow creased-- was it just him, or had the boy picked up some of Yondu’s mannerisms along the way? He’d never noticed that before. “You’re welcome to stay with us until you get your feet back on the ground, figure out what to do next. Or forever. You’re one of us now, if you want to be. There’s always room for family.” 

_ Family.  _ So Peter thought of Kraglin as family now. He doubted the rest of the guardians did. And he couldn’t fault them for that. But he doubted he’d really be as welcome as Peter said he’d be. He’d felt like an unwanted guest on the ship-- his own ship-- ever since Yondu died. He’d stuck around for the funeral, of course, but never spoke once. The things he had to say about Yondu,  _ to  _ Yondu, weren’t anything the others needed or wanted to hear. After Peter’s speech, he’d silently gone off on his own. He couldn’t bear to watch Yondu become nothing more than smoke and ashes. It hadn’t been the funeral he’d wanted for his Captain. Of course, Rocket had made that happen. Rocket, an  _ animal _ , someone Yondu had perhaps considered a friend but not for long. Maybe Kraglin was jealous someone else had taken the initiative to call the other Ravagers. Or maybe he was ashamed that he hadn’t thought of it first. 

_ I’ve disappointed you enough, Cap’n. I’ve let you down time after time, and it ain’t right. The least I can do is try n’ fix it.  _

“I appreciate that, Pete. I really do.” His voice cracked, catching in his throat. “But I can’t stay here. I ain’t part of your Guardians. The last days I had with the Captain I fucked up. I ruined so much, and it’s my responsibility to make it right.”

Peter shrugged. “I don’t think he was disappointed in you. I think he’d be proud of what you did.” 

_ Why didn’t hell tell me so, then? Oh right-- he died before he got a chance to. Saving you _ . “You don’t know a damn thing about him, Quill! You don’t know him like I know him and you never will, because you only gave a rat’s ass about him once he died to save your sorry life!”

Both men fell silent after that, just staring at each other. Slowly, Peter’s shocked expression faded into something... sad. Kraglin’s anger dissipated and he took a step back, horrified at his outburst. “Peter, I--”

“No, you’re right.” The Terran turned his back. “I was a bad son.”

_ I’m sor-- _

“I’m sorry.” Peter walked away. Kraglin stared at his retreating back, then turned and fled back to his cabin.

* * *

 

Kraglin slept restlessly. His dreams didn’t make any logical sense, but he knew he was running, fighting, screaming-- and in the end, he was always alone. He woke up in a heavy sweat and realized he didn’t even have Yondu in his dreams. So Kraglin cried. For the the first time since the funeral, he really allowed himself to cry. It was loud and messy and he had to roll over and bury his face in a ratty old pillow that smelled faintly like mold but strangely like  _ home,  _ just to keep the noise from reaching the others on the ship who were probably fast asleep. It had been weeks, everyone had gone back to their lives. No one was still thinking about Yondu except Kraglin and Peter. And he was mad at Peter. Wasn’t he?

A knock on the door confirmed his fears. Someone had heard him and woken up. Probably Drax, and now he was coming to beat him up. Or Peter had told Gamora about what he’d said and she was going to scream at him. He probably deserved both. “Come in,” he managed to croak, and sat up, curling his arms around his knees in a fetal position. He tried to wipe his tears, but they just wouldn’t stop.

It wasn’t the bodybuilder man, or the green gal after all. It was a stocky Terran who stood in the doorway and carefully closed the door after him. “Hey uh... Kraglin? I just wanted to check on you. I thought I heard crying.”  _ Dammit.  _ “I’m sorry about earlier.”

No point in trying to hide it now. Kraglin sniffled. “It weren’t yer fault, Peter. I’m the one what stepped outta line. I shouldn’t’ve said what I said. It weren’t true.” 

Peter was silent before simply nodding and walking over to the edge of the bed. “May I?” Kraglin just nodded. That’s another thing Peter seemed to have gotten from Yondu. Damn these men and their forgiveness. He sat carefully on the edge of Kraglin’s bed and looked at him. Kraglin couldn’t make himself meet his eyes. “If you aren’t going to stay with us, what do you think you’ll do?”

Kraglin shook his head. “I don’t know. I ain’t really thought about it. I just know I can’t stay here. It ain’t my place. I think... I’m the only surviving member of Yondu’s clan. Everyone else was killed in the mutiny, and then the Captain...” he was getting choked up again. “Now that Yondu’s honor has been restored, I oughtta go out n’ try to rebuild the clan. Rejoin my people. I think that’s what he would want. And that’s what he deserves. His legacy shouldn’t die with him. He made a lotta mistakes, but he was the best man I ever knew.” Finally, his tears had stopped, and he quickly wiped the wet streaks from his face. 

“I think I’m gonna travel. Find the misfits, the outcasts, the lost children-- the ones like me and you-- and give them somewhere to go. A sense of purpose. A code to follow. A family to be loyal to. That’s how I’ll rebuild Yondu’s clan-- it’s how he got us, after all.” Finally, Kraglin smiled. Just a little bit. 

“That sounds like a great idea, Krags,” Peter said. “I think he’d be proud.” 

“I damn well hope so,” Kraglin replied. And then-- “He was proud of you too.”

“Yeah.” Peter stood. “Good luck. But don’t be a stranger, got that? You need anything at all-- you know where to find us. We’ll be right here. That’s what family’s for.”

Kraglin’s eyes watered again, and he ducked his head so Peter wouldn’t see the fresh tears threatening to fall. “Alright. Thanks. Good luck, Peter.”

"You too... Captain.” The door shut. Peter was gone.

_ Captain. Captain Obfonteri _ .

Kraglin smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this little one-shot! After seeing Vol. 2 for the third time, I couldn't help wondering what Kraglin does. It just didn't feel right for him to stay with the Guardians long-term. If you enjoyed, leave a kudos, and let me know in the comments what you thought! Then come say hi on tumblr at [obfonteri](http://obfonteri.tumblr.com)!


End file.
